Boot and shoe protector.



O. B. REESE.

BOOT AND SHOE PROTEOTOR. APPLICATION FILED M214. 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. B. REESE.

BOOT AND SHOE PROTBGTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

2 BHEETS BHBET 2 wi hwoio UNITE STATS AT rein ai BOOT AND SHOEPROTECTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE B. REESE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Reese, in the county of WVatauga and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot andShoe Protectors, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in boot and shoe protectors.

The object of my invention is to provide a protector of the characterhereinafter described which can be readily attached or removed from theshoe or boot, and which is so adjustable that it can be secured to bootsor shoes of different sizes, and also boots and shoes of a different toeshape or curvature.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a heel protector adaptedto be used in conjunction with the toe protector, whereby all thewearing part of the shoe is thoroughly protected against wear, yetallowing the same to be readily attached or detached.

Another object of my invention is to provide a more simple, cheap andcompact device of this character which will not injure the shoe or boot.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a shoeshowing my improved toe and heel protectors applied thereto andconnected by the flexible straps. Fig. 2, is an enlarged transverse,sectional view partly broken away of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is an enlargedperspective view of the toe protector showing the several partsseparated. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the heel protector. Fig. 5,is a perspective view of the leather protector which fits over the toeof the shoe before the metal protector is applied. Fig. 6, is anenlarged, perspective view of the removable hook carried by the elasticsecuring means. Fig. 7, is a perspective view of a modified form of aleather protector showing means for adjusting it to different sizeshoes.

My invention is designed especially for lumber inspectors who turn ormove the planks with their heels and toes, and by so doing the ordinaryshoe becomes'so worn that it is useless and also unsightly.

By my invention, it will be seen that the device can be readily carriedin the pocket and quickly applied to the shoe so that the Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed March 24, 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 485,454.

inspector can at all times have nice looking shoes without injuring thesame, and also save the shoes against wear or other injury.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the toe plates which,as shown, are broadened out at their outer ends to form a broadprotecting portion for the shoe. These plates are loosely connected bythe link 3 at their outer ends, the link giving the desired amount offlexibility, yet holding them together against separation. The lowerends of said toe members are turned inwardly as indicated at 4, and passinto the space between the sole and the upper, whereby they are held intheir position. In order to prevent the said inturned ends from cuttingthe stitching between the upper and sole, the end is turned downwardlyas indicated at 5, and said downwardly-turned end rests upon the sole ofthe shoe.

The member 1 adjacent the inner end, is provided with two plates 6 and 7which are riveted or otherwise secured upon the member 1, and are spaceda distance from said member by washers 8 which surround the rivets orother securing means. The member 1, below each plate 6 and 7, isprovided with upwardly-extending pins or studs 9 and 10 which are of alength less than half the distance between the plates and the members,as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The member 2 adjacent the inner end, and in a line with the pins 9 and10, are provided with two upwardly-extending pins 11 and 12 which are ofa length equal to twice that of the pins 9 and 10. The extreme inner endof the member is provided with a guide 13, and said member 2intermediate the pins 11 and 12 is provided with a second guide 14 saidguides having the outer ends open and under which the lever 15 isadapted to swing. The lever 15 is pivoted at 16 upon the member 2, andis provided with the two upwardlyraised or struck-up portions 17 and 18which are arranged to come over the pins 11 and 12 when the lever isswung inwardly in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Theguide 13 has a downwardly-turned lip 19 which holds the lever 15 underthe guide 13 to prevent it from being accidentally swung outwardly fromunder the guide. The clamping arm 20 has at its upper end a series ofopenings 21 into which the studs 9 and 11 are adapted to pass. The outerend of said arm is broadened outwardly to form a protecting surface andhas its end 22 turned inwardly to pass between the sole and upper of theshoe. This inwardly-turned end has its outer end turned downwardly toprevent it from cutting the stitching between the sole and upper, thesame as the members 1 and 2.

The arm 24 is the same shape as the arm 20 and passes under the loop orguide 6. Said arm is provided with openings 25, but the pin 9 being ofsuch a length that it cannot enter said openings. The pin 11 is of sucha length that it extends above the arm 20 and enters one of saidopenings in the arm 2%, whereby when the lever is swung over, the twoarms are locked together. The arms 20 and 2-l are preferably made ofspring metal, and when adjusted to fit different size shoes anddiii'erently shaped shoes, it will be seen that the same can be appliedor removed by springing the arms outwardly without affecting theadjustment.

The arms 26 and 27 are constructed similar to the arms 20 and 21-, onlyslightly longer, as that portion of the shoe over which they pass isbroader and therefore these arms necessarily have to be longer. Theouter ends of these arms are constructed the same to fit between thesole and shoe. The arm 27 passes under the loop 7 and the pins 10 and 12enter the openings 29 therein. The pin 10 is of such a length that it.only extends through the arm 27, while the pin 12 extends above the arm.The arm 26 is then inserted under the loop 7 and the pin 12 enters oneof the openings therein. The clamping lever 15 is provided with struckup portions 1'? and-18 as before described, which allows for the twothicknesses of the arms and holds the arms 2% and 26 in their downwardposition with the pins 11 and 12 in the openings in the arms 20 and 27.

The lip 19 bears against the arm 26 and in order to allow the readyinsertion of the arm 26, the same is beveled as indicated at 30, whichallows the arm to be inserted without moving the lip 19 up by hand. Thearms and 27 being of spring metal, also allows of the same being appliedto the shoe without affecting the adjustment after it has been adjustedto lit the shoe.

In order to protect the toe of the shoe from wear by contact with themetal of the protector, I provide a leather cap 31 which is preferablymade of a flat piece of leatrier having the forward ends provided withthe two slits 32 and 33 which, when laced together as shown in Fig. 5,form a protector approximately the shape of the shoe. Secured theretobelow the central upper portion by means of lacings, through theopenings 34, is a heavy piece of leather which is directly below thelever and arm connecting means, whereby not only the shoe is protected,but the foot is also protected. The

heavy piece of leather prevents any pressure upon the upper portion ofthe foot.

in order to protect the heel of the shoe i provide the curved plate 36which is of a shape to lit the curvature of the heel portion of theshoe, and it may be made wider or narrower as the circumstances mayrequire. The lower end of said plate is provided with a laterally turnedportion 37 which passes under the heel of the shoe, and is provided withthe two upwardly-extending studs 38 and 35) which enter the heel andprevent displacement of the plate.

The upper end of the plate 36 is provided with two loops l0 and 4-1 inwhich are secured elastic bands 42 and The outer ends of the bands areprovided with hooks s't lwhich are adapted to hook into the arms 26 and27 of the toe protector, whereby the heel protector and the toeprotector are more securely fastened on the shoe. If desired the bandsand may be secured together around the instep of the shoe, as shown indotted lines, Fig. 1.

In order to use endless elastic bands, such as shown in Fig. i, Iprovide a specifically constructed hook e1- which consists of a sin glepiece of wire bent into the hook portion 4:5, and the attaching loop e6has an eye 47 forn ed by one end of the piece of wire. The opposite endof the piece of wire extending from the hook is provided with a hookedend 48 entering the eye from the opposite direction from the hookwhereby a pulling action on the hook forces the hooked end 4C8 fartherinto the eye and therefore prevents the hook from separating. By thisstruc ture, it will be seen that. rubber bands can be readily used inthe event of breaking of the elastic.

By the structure herein set forth, it will be seen that applicant hasprovided a shoe protector which can be readily carried in the pocket,and which can be readily applied and removed from the shoe after it hasbeen adjusted to the shoe. The structure also provides means foradjusting it to different size shoes, and also snarp and round toeshoes, all of which is fully understood by the specification anddrawings.

The arms 20 and 24% are provided with hooks eh) and 50 which hook intoloops in the leather protector, and whereby the proteetor is carried bythe arms. The arms 20 and 2? at their inner ends at opposite sides, areprovided with upwardly extending ears 51 and 52 which form a guide-wayin which the members and 26 are adapted to slide, and which prevent thetwisting of the two opposite members in respect to each other, and thusstrengthening the same.

While I have shown the heel plate 36 provided with the loops 4L0 and a1,T can provide the plate 36 with slots 53 and 5 1 which have oblique openupper ends, whereby the endless bands l3 may be readily inserted andretained in said slot. Vhile I have shown the band 43 with a hook at oneend, it will be understood that a hook 44 can be placed upon theopposite end of the band, and which would hook into the loops 40 and 41.

In Fig. 7 I have shown an adjustable leather protector which consists ofa piece of heavy leather 55 preferably made of two layers, and havingconnected at the forward end two pieces of flexible leather 56 and 57.The said flexible pieces of leather have a series of openings 58 whichare adapted to register with the openings 59 in the heavy piece ofleather 55, whereby the pieces of leather 56 and 57 may be secured tothe piece 55. The series of openings allow the two pieces to be adjustedin or out to vary the width of the protector for different size shoes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

l. A shoe protector, comprising two members linked together at theirforward ends, flexible side arms adjustably secured to the member andlocking the rear ends of said members together, and inwardly turnedlower ends carried by the arms adapted to extend between the sole andupper of the shoe.

2. A shoe protector comprising two front members linked together, twoloops carried by one of said members, pins carried by the member belowthe loops, a lever pivoted to the other member, pins carried by lastmentioned member below the lever, and overlapping clamping arms belowthe loops and lever and through which the pins pass.

3. A shoe protector comprising two front members adapted toapproximately fit the toe of the shoe, loops carried by one of saidmembers, pins carried by the members below the loops, a lever pivoted tothe other mem ber, pins carried by the last mentioned member below .thelever, clamping arms having the pins of each member passing therethrough, and clamping arms extending under the loops and having the pinsof the second mentioned member passing therethrough.

l. A shoe protector comprising two front members linked together andhaving their outer ends turned inwardly and adapted to pass between thesole and upper of the shoe, loops carried by one of said members, pinscarried by the member below the loops, pins carried by the secondmember, arms extending from one side of the members and having openingsreceiving the pins of both members, arms extending from the oppositedirection under the loops and having openings to receive the pins of thesecond member, a lever pivoted to said member, guide loops carried bythe second member for said lever,

and a spring catch formed integral with one of the guide loops andadapted to engage and hold the lever.

5. A shoe protector comprising two front members movably securedtogether, two loops carried by one of said members, pins carried by thesaid member below the loops, a lever pivoted to the other member, pinscarried by the last mentioned member below the lever, overlappingclamping arms below the loops and lever and through which the pins pass,and means for securing the lever in its inward position above the memberto which it is pivoted.

6. A shoe protector comprising two front members adapted toapproximately fit the toe of the shoe, a loose connection between saidmembers, loops carried by one of said members, pins carried by themember below the loops, pins carried by the last mentioned member belowthe lever, clamping arms having the pins of both members pass ingtherethrough, clamping arms extending under the loops and having thepins of the second mentioned member passing therethrough, and a leverpivoted to the second mentioned member and holding the clamping armsthereon.

7. A shoe protector, comprising two front members linked together andhaving their outer ends turned inwardly and adapted to pass between thesole and upper of the shoe, loops carried by one of said members, pinscarried by said member below the loops but leaving a space between theends of the pins and loops, pins carried by the second member and of alength twice that of the pins of the first member, arms extending fromone side of the members and having openings receiving the pins of bothmembers, arms extending from the opposite direction under the loops andhaving openings to receive the pins carried by the second member, theouter ends of the arms curved inwardly, a lever pivoted to the secondmember, guide loops carried by the second member and under which thelever passes, and a spring catch formed integral with one of the guideloops and adapted to engage and hold the ever.

8. A shoe protector, comprising two front members linked togetheradjacent their forward ends and having downwardly turned outer endsadapted to pass between the sole and upper of the shoe, loops carried byone of said members, pins carried by said members below the loop buthaving a space between the ends of the pins and loops, pins carried bythe second member and of a length twice that of the pins of the firstmember, arms extending from one side of the members and having openingsreceiving the pins of both members, arms extending from the oppositedirection under the loops and having openings to receive the pinscarried by both members, the outer ends of all the arms curved inwardlyto enter the space between the sole and upper of the shoe, a leverpivoted to the second member and having upwardly bulged portions toreceive said arms, spring guide loops carried by the second member andunder which the lever passes, a spring catch formed integral with one ofthe guide loops and adapted to en gage and hold the lever under theguide 10 loop and a leather protector carried by the arms between thesame and the shoe.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLYDE B. REESE. lVitnesses G. \V. SUDDERTII, G. P. HAGAMAN.

